"Caw-Caw," she said.
"Not very original, but I guess it fits."
That evening after she had gone to her room Samantha checked her mail and found Jennie's name in the queue.
Hi Sammie--
I hope everything is going well for you in your new home and that you're pretty well settled in now. If you are, I have a favor to ask.
Samantha read on down then went back and read it again. Jennie was asking her to record what she felt and thought when talking to animals and also what she felt and thought when they answered. Well, that sounded easy enough, since she had begun recording her thoughts along those lines for some time anyway. Apparently Jennie wanted her to be much more detailed in her writing when doing so. She agreed and as soon as her homework was finished she began recording her interactions with Caw-Caw and how they differed from mammals. She quickly found that it wasn't as easy to put her thoughts in writing as she thought it would be. It took a long time and she still wasn't satisfied when it was time to turn the lights off.
***
Samantha's first school day at the Eagleman home was devoted to taking standardized state placement tests given to each teen when they began the home school tutorage. She sat at the back of the big living room on the carpeted floor as most of the others were doing, but while they were studying, she was involved in a novel on her reader since she had no lessons yet. Mrs. Eagleman was still grading her placement tests.
After lunch Mrs. Eagleman got the other students started with their lessons then took Samantha to another room to discuss the test results with her.
"You're way past middle school according to the tests, Samantha. In fact, I think we can start you at the high school senior level in everything except math and social studies. Your algebra is actually at the college level now, but you haven't had any geometry yet. Why is that?"
She shrugged. "I really don't know, Mrs. Eagleman. I guess it was just that I was still in the eighth grade in Lufkin but I liked Algebra so I studied it at an advanced level on my own, the same as I did other subjects."
"That's good. Too many girls are given the impression that math is hard for them when they do just as well or better than boys if they apply themselves and aren't discouraged. We'll get you into geometry and if you progress fast enough we'll add trigonometry to it in a few weeks. By the way, have you any plans for college yet?"
"Oh, yes ma'am! I'm going to be a veterinarian and probably do research with animals."
The dark skinned woman smiled. "I understand you already have a pretty good start."
"I guess so," she agreed, not knowing what else to say.
"Alright, let me check and see if anyone needs some help and then we'll get a lesson plan started for you. By the way, you'll need to have the internet. Otherwise you'll have to come here almost every day."
"Mom said the satellite people will be out tomorrow. I'll sure be glad!"
"I know you will. That's the only way anyone in this area can access it."
An hour later Samantha had her course of study for the first and second semesters set and was told the days she would need to appear personally at the Eagleman home. Most days everything could probably be handled through email and the on-line course material, she said. Samantha would just as soon have come to class physically every day so she could get to know the other teens more quickly, but it wasn't done that way. It would have been a burden on her parents, too, she knew. One or the other had to drive her any time she went anywhere.
She was back inside with the others the last two hours and even after studies were finished for the day, almost half of the students were still waiting on rides. That left her with Jessica, several other girls and three boys. One of the boys appeared to be very shy and withdrawn, even though he was tall and well-muscled. He was moderately good looking with a tan giving his skin a golden color that went well with his dark brown hair. He seldom said anything and even then it was almost always in response to a question. After he had gone and Jessica's mother arrived, she and Jessica sat in the back of the SUV talking while Jessica's mother drove.
"Is there anything wrong with Ray Zimmerman, Jessie?" she asked in a tone of voice low enough that only Jessica could hear.
Jessica glanced up front at her mother then leaned close to whisper. "Most of the time he thinks he's a horse," she said. "His dad owns a horse ranch and his mom died when he was young. They live way north from town and he hasn't been around other kids much. Sometimes he rides his horse to class and he talks to it like it understands him. He's real smart, though. He gets good grades."
"He thinks he's a horse? Really?"
"Uh huh. That's what Marylynn and Josephine both told me and they've known him longer than I have."
Samantha nodded but she found the statement hard to believe. It sounded too much like some of the cruel canards that had been bandied around about her, or like the even worse emails that had turned up on hers and her parents' computers after she became more well known. They had changed email addresses twice but the crazies had found both of the new ones within weeks. This time they were using a relatively unknown program and disguising their names.
The new home was larger than the Douglas family really needed but with the addition of Fussy to the household, the big fenced back yard was welcome. Of course once the bobcat's leg had healed it could climb over the fence with ease, much to the disgust of Shufus, even though he wouldn't have wandered off even if there had been no fence there at all.
She had her own room with a queen-sized bed. Shufus usually slept on one side of her and Fussy on the other. Their body heat was welcome on cold winter nights but their affection for her was even better than the warmth. She liked the new home except for the fact that, as usual, she had a hard time making friends. It was even worse here because of the distance between households. Most of her classmates lived on farms and ranches, hardly any of them within walking distance. There was also the weather to consider which sometimes closed the roads, so Samantha was glad when spring arrived even if it was still chilly.
So far, Jessica was her only real friend and they usually saw each other only at class. Jessica's mother did drive her to spend the night once every month or so. After Caw-Caw recovered she came to visit the crow, too. It was usually her that made the trip because her mother didn't work outside of the home. Caw-Caw remembered her, probably because Samantha reminded the crow that it was Jessica who had saved her life. Once it flew to her home and visited with her for an hour, then began making the trip fairly often, to Jessica's delight. In the meantime Samantha was learning the ways of crows from Caw-Caw and could converse with it much more easily now, especially after reading some more about Crows and Ravens. They were among the most intelligent of birds, rivaling some of the very smart parrot species.
Samantha had passed her fourteenth birthday months before without any fanfare other than from her parents. She received a new, state of the art notebook computer that served all her purposes other than her phone usage. However, phone reception was sometimes erratic in their area and text IM equally so, making the new notebook more beneficial than it might otherwise have been. She could talk face to face with just about anyone, including Dr. Summers and Jennie.
One Saturday evening on impulse she decided to email Ray Zimmerman. She had his address from a general email notice from one of the teaching parents who had forgotten to conceal the other addresses. She had thought of mailing him several times but always retreated from the idea at the last moment. He didn't seem interested in her anyway, but on the other hand he didn't act as if he was drawn to any of the other girls, and certainly none of them were romantically inclined in his direction. If anything, they made fun of him, usually out of his hearing. The day before, Marylynn was being her usual obnoxious self and made a derogatory remark about his association with horses without bothering to see whether he was nearby or not. Samantha noticed how he blushed and lowered his head when he heard the remark. She felt sorry for him. She had been on the receiving end of too many of those kind of remarks herself.
Taking a deep breath, she called up her email program and entered his address. She paused, then wrote
Ray, I heard what Marylynn said today. She is mean and you shouldn't let it bother you. The same thing has happened to me before we moved here. If you would email me, I would like it. Your friend, Sammie.
She hesitated then touched "send" and her missive to Ray was on its way, irretrievable even had she wanted to call it back. It was only after she had sent her note that she had the thought that he might be gay. If so, maybe he would still like to be friends.
***
Samantha was surprised to hear back from Ray the next day.
Sammie, please have lunch with me Tuesday when we're at Judy Fortman's for class. Ray.
That was all it said but she was encouraged. She knew Marylynn and her little circle would probably make fun of her but she told herself she didn't care. They weren't her friends anyway. She hardly spoke to them at all after a couple of attempts at approaching them had been rebuffed. She often wondered what made a person act that way, all stuck up and making airs as if they were superior to everyone else, but had finally given up trying to figure it out.
"You're acting kind of nervous this morning, Sammie," her mother said at breakfast Tuesday. "Is school going alright?"
"It's fine, Mom. Some of the girls aren't very nice but... " She shrugged. "You know how that is."
"Yes, unfortunately. Don't mind them, Sammie. Just remember that you're a better person by
not
being like they are."
"Yes, ma'am," she said. It was always reassuring when she knew Mom was on her side. "Has Dad already gone to work?"
"He had to leave early this morning. Something about an invasive growth at the boundary of the Sanctuary. I'll run you to the Fortmans but you'll get there a bit early because I have to be at work too, you know."
"Yes'm." She was still getting used to the idea of her mother going to a job five days a week, leaving her alone on days when schoolwork could be done online.
The Fortmans had just finished breakfast and Mr. Fortman waved at them from his car as he left for the long commute to his job.
"Hi Sammie!" Judy said as she opened the door. "Come on in."
Their two dogs rushed to greet her and Shufus. Mrs. Fortman was still amazed at how easily Judy's friend had calmed their usually obstreperous dogs who normally barked up a storm when a strange person or dog came to visit. The first time Samantha had classes there she had introduced herself and Shufus to the mixed breed dogs. From then on they were old friends.
She led Shufus into the house. Seeing the breakfast dishes still on the table, she said, "May I help with the dishes, Mrs. Fortman?"
"Thank you for offering but I'll get them. Why don't you two girls get the den ready for class while I'm doing that?"
Samantha liked Judy but still didn't know her very well. While they were arranging the chairs and supplies the next student arrived. Judy had gone to the door. She stood very still with her hands on the back of a folding chair as Ray Zimmerman entered the den. He glanced at her and she smiled tentatively at him. He returned it just as hesitantly. She was surprised at how much better it made him look.
"Good morning, Ray," she said and moved in his direction.
"Hello, Sammie." It appeared that was all he could think of to say at the moment so she didn't press him. She did take pains to make sure they sat next to each other when the morning studies began. It was Geometry combined with beginning trigonometry for her. She saw that Ray was also doing geometry but he was still at the second year algebra stage, which was somewhat surprising given his age. He was two years older than her according to what she'd heard.
Class rules allowed texting or emailing other students but no talking. With mixed classes being home schooled, some were more advanced than others or less competent. It depended on interests, time that was spent on schoolwork, background, intelligence and other factors. To add to the difficulty, the parents had mostly forgotten much of their own high school studies other than what they might use in their jobs. Their work, mostly farming and ranching, also limited what they knew and could help with. The main purpose of having classes one or two times a week together was so that the teens could not only assist one another but also mingle and improve their social skills. Or so the theory went.
Samantha thought the classes of twenty to thirty students was a microcosm of the larger social grouping found in regular schools, where students smarter or with wealthier parents tended to form sets, just as those not so bright or lacking in social adeptness separated themselves from others, or more commonly were excluded. She was used to it and it bothered her less than it did some of the others, like Ray. The problem was that befriending him would almost automatically bar her from the circle of those who didn't care for him.
Breaks of fifteen minutes every hour could be taken if the youngsters wanted to. Some did while others continued with their lessons. Sometimes the basis for taking the breaks was to go outside and be able to talk out loud without disturbing the others.
When the second break period neared, Samantha texted Ray.
Are you ready for a break?
It was a pretty, sunshiny day for Early Spring, with the temperature hovering in the fifties and only a mild breeze.
Okay, but let's walk around outside.
The eyes of most of the others followed Samantha and Ray as they left and whispering began behind them until Mrs. Fortman spoke up sharply. "If you want to talk, take a break and go to another room or outside."
Some did, some didn't. The ones who did were more interested in the doings of the couple who had preceded them more than anything else, but they had already turned the corner of the house and were out of sight.